Two-time defending champion EcoOil-La Salle toppled Go Torakku-St. Clare, 105-70, in Game 2 to sweep their best-of-three semifinal series and advanced to the finals of the 2024 Philippine Basketball Association D-League Aspirants’ Cup Tuesday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

The undefeated Green Archers got down to business early and practically dominated the entire match on the way to their straight Finals appearance.

EcoOil-La Salle will be facing the winner of the other semifinal series between Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda and Centro Escolar University (CEU), which is headed to a sudden-death.

The Red Lions defeated the Scorpions, 84-76, in Game 2 to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.

“Our mindset stayed the same. We really wanted to approach this game with the same mentality. We wanted to respect St. Clare for a lot of reasons. They always give us a good fight,” La Salle assistant coach Gian Nazario said.

“It’s (finals) where we want to be but there are still games to be played.”

The Red Lions led by as much as 22-point lead but needed to keep their poise in the closing minutes to hold off the Scorpions and keep their hopes of returning to the finals.

San Beda went up 60-38 early in the third quarter and was holding on to a 66-47 advantage midway through the period when CEU went on a 19-2 barrage to trim the gap to two points with still 6:31 to go.

But Jommel Puno drained five straight points while Richie Calimag hit jumpers one after another highlighted by that dagger trey that pierced through the heart of the Scorpions.